1. Field
The exemplary embodiments generally relate to controlled atmosphere environments and, more particularly, to increasing throughput in those environments.
2. Brief Description of Related Developments
Increased efficiencies are sought in the production electronics, and particularly in the production of semiconductor devices that form an even increasing part of electronics.
To optimize throughput of hot wafers using static loadlock cooling shelves, through a cluster tool while minimizing the part count and complexity of the assembly, particularly eliminating any motion/device inside the loadlock. To achieve higher throughputs in a cluster tool, multiple loadlocks modules are used conventionally. This increases equipment complexity and cost to end users.
Generally in semiconductor processing systems atmospheric doors are utilized to seal the wafer slit opening between, for example, a load lock and an atmospheric interface such as that found on an Equipment Front End Module (EFEM) or load port module. The atmospheric doors are generally pneumatically driven in a move vertically into place over the slit opening. The atmospheric doors are then driven into contact with the load lock seal contact surface surrounding the slit opening to seal the opening from an outside atmosphere.
In sealing against the load lock contact surface, worn door seals, faulty door motion and foreign debris can damage the load lock contact surface causing leaks into the load lock chamber when the load lock chamber is pumped down. The repair of the load lock seal contact surface is time and labor extensive in that the surface must be re-machined or sanded to create the original surface condition. The reworking of the seal contact surface can take many hours and cause extensive down time of the processing tool. Where the seal contact surface is beyond repair the load lock is replaced.
It would be advantageous to have an atmospheric door contact surface on a load lock that can be quickly replaced to minimize process tool downtime.
Protection of the substrate from particle contamination during transfer from, for example a process module to a load port module and vice versa in an important task for the manufacture of semiconductor substrates. In order to minimize substrate contamination all of the moving parts of the substrate transport module are generally positioned below the substrate path.
Generally, atmospheric doors and slot valves used on substrate processing equipment including, but not limited to, load locks are located below the substrate transfer plane to minimize substrate airborne particle contamination. In the case of, for example, a stacked or double load lock atmospheric doors and slot valves are mounted on the load lock upside down above the substrate transfer plane such that the door actuators are located in the substrate transfer zone. Having the door actuators above the substrate transfer plane creates a high probability of substrate particle contamination due to the door actuators.
It would be advantageous to have an atmospheric door that has actuators that are not located above substrate transfer plane or within the substrate transfer zone such that substrate particle contamination is minimized.